Suggest a Dr. in Georgia - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

us2briggs · 03-31-2005, 08:29 AM

I'm shopping for a surgeon in Georgia for a c5-6 discectomy. Who do you suggest and what method do they use?

disjointed · 03-31-2005, 12:07 PM

Dr. Stephen Disch in Roswell (just north of Atlanta). He did my ACDF on C5-C6 about 6 weeks ago and has a great reputation. {REMOVED - DO NOT POST TELEPHONE NUMBERS} I highly recommend him. Good luck!

Kevin

disjointed · 03-31-2005, 12:16 PM

I'm not sure if you know or not, but ACDF is Anterior Cervical Discectomy with Fusion. He went through the front right side of my neck to reach the disc. He removed the disc and drilled out bone spurs that were present and prepped the area for inserting a piece of bone from a cadaver to act as "scaffolding" for your vertebrae above and below the disc being pulled out. The two vertabrae subsequently grow together or "fuse," eventually replacing the donor bone. He also places a titanium plate that goes from one vertebrea to the other (two screws in each vertebrae hold the plate in place) to hold everything together so the fusion can take place. This means no collar required (at least he doesn't require it using this method... many doctors still do). He also allows a 25 pound lifting weight limit after surgery. Most doctors only allow around 5 to 10 pounds.

So far for me everything seems to be healing fine 6 weeks after post-op, although it will probably take 9 months to 2 years (approx.) for my nerves to heal and the pain to go totally away (hopefully).

Good luck!

Kevin

dawgs41 · 03-31-2005, 09:06 PM

The neurosurgeon I used was Dr. Tariq Javed in Marietta{REMOVED - DO NOT POST TELEPHONE NUMBERS}...{REMOVED-DO NOT REACT ON THE BOARD} I have C5-6 ACDF on 2/17/05...six weeks ago today and I feel awesome! Haven't taken anything for pain in weeks...every now and again if I do something stupid like lifting too much I get a little soreness but it is temporary. I was in so much pain before this surgery and woke up and it was gone...has yet to return. Doc used me as a guinea pig of sorts, he is trying out a new dissolving plate and screws which will eventually reabsorb into my body sometime at around 18 months or so...how cool is that? So far my fusion is progressing well...I go back to see him in about 4 weeks and hopefully I can start working out and golfing again. Dr. Javed came highly recommended from both a surgical nurse that I know and an anesthesiologist...both said that if they needed this surgery, he is the man. I also understand he is a "doctors" doctor. Now mind you, he is all business, not very touchy feely but I don't care as long as he did the job well...if my recovery is any indication, he is great! He has performed over 2000 of these procedures. I also have heard good things about Dr. Disch as well. Good luck! Terry